Automatic gate for railway crossings



Nov. 23 1926.

L. FLORY ET AL AUTOMATIC GATE FOP. RAILWAY CROSSINGS Filed May 20,1925

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L. FLORY ET AL AUTOYMATIC GATE FOR RAILWAY GROSSINGS Filed May 20, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lun/Plumas` @U15 f2 Mg ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES LOUIS FLORY AND KAROL KLRING, OF PI'ILAEELPHIA, FENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC GATE FOR RALWAY CRGSSXNGS.

Application filed May 20,

Our invention relates to a new and useful automatic gate for railway crossings and the like, and it relates more particularly to a novel system for operating gates for railway crossings, whereby a positive, unfailing and dependable operation of the gates may be obtained at all times, properly timed with relation to the travel of a train past the crossing.

Qur invention further relates to a novel construction in a railway crossing gate, and a. novel system for operating the same, whereby the gates are closed and opened or lowered and raised, by entirely mechanical means, actuated by the train itself, and whereby the possibility of any accidents due to the closing of the gates upon a vehicle crossing the railway, is entirely eliminated by the provision of novel yieldable gate arms.

lVith the above ends in view, our inven tion consists of suitable gate posts on either side of the track, gate arms pivotally mounted at their upper ends, lifting tracks slidably mounted in said gate posts and operatively engaging said gate a.rms,'pinions carried by said posts in mesh with said lifting rack adapted to raise and lower the same, thereby to raise and lower the gate arms, said pinions being carried by horizontal operating shafts extending transversely across the tracks and beneath the upper surfaces of the same, pinions carried by said hori- Zonal shafts beneath and intermediate the tracks, an operating rack extending parallel to the tracks and positioned below the upper surfaces thereof, in mesh with said second pinions, adapted to rotate the saine, a plurality of actuating racks positioned along the tracks at suitable distances on either side of the crossing conne-cted with the main or operating racks by suitable rods or cables, actuating pinions in mesh with said actuating racks and tripping levers carried by said pinions extending abo-ve the upper surface of the tracks and positioned in operative alignment with the flange of the locomotive wheel tire, whereby the engagement of the Hange of the tire of the locomotive with the tripping lever will deflect the same and displace said series of actuating racks and said main operating racks, thereby to lower or raise the gate arms.

For the purpose of illustrating our invention, we have shown in the accompanying drawings, forms thereof which are at 1926. Serial No. 110.331.

present preferred by us, since they will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results,

although it is to be understood that the va-r rious instrumentalitles of which our invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that our invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure l represents a diagrammatic View in elevation, of the railway crossing gate and actuating system therefor, embodying our invention.

Figure 2 represents a diagrammatic top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 represents a section on line 2)3 of Figure 2, on an enlarged scale, showing one of the tripping levers and actuating devices.

Figure et represents a top plan View of the actuating device and tripping lever shown in Figure 3.

Figure represents a section on line 55 of Figure 8, on an enlarged scale, showing one of the rod or cable guides.

Figure 6 represents a horizontal section on line 6 6 of Figure 1, showing the main operating shaft.

Figure 7 represents a Vertical section of one of the gate posts, showing the yieldable gate arm construction.

Figure 8 represents a section on line 8 8 of Figure 7, showing the universal pivot head of theyieldable gate arm construction.

Figure 9 represents a top plan View of the gate arm and post, shown in lFigure 7.

Referring to the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts, l and 2 designate a pair of upright gate posts on one side of the tracks and at a suitable distance from the rails, while 3 and t designate a corresponding pair of gate posts on the other side of the track, also at a suitable distance from the other side of the rails. Each of the gate posts l, 2, 3 and 4, carry a pair of T shaped pivot plates 5 and 6, pivotally secured on either side of the post by means of the pivot pins 7. To the lower ends of the pivot plates 5 and 7 is pivotally secured a rod connector or terminal member 8, by means of the pivot pin 9 in which the upper terminal of the lifting rod l0 is secured. The lifting rod 10 in turn telescopes into the inner bore l1 of a suitable upright lifting' rack l2, which is held in mesh with the lifting pinion 13 carried by the horizontal main operating shaft- 14, and is carried by the rack guide 15. A helical com- Jressing spring 16 is interposed between the rod connector' 8 and the upper end of the lift-ing rack 12, thereby yieldably to transmit the vertical movement` of the lifting rack 12 to the pivot plates 5 and G. Thus by revolving the horizontal main oi' operating shaft 14, and hence the pinion 13, the lifting rack-12 is moved vertically and hence the pivot plates 5 and 6 are deflected.

The universal swivel members 17 are pivotally mounted and secured between 'the tree ends of the pivot plates and 6, by means oi" the nuts 18. ily' this means the universal swivel member 17 is capable of oscillating movement about the horizontal trunnions 19 thereot. The vgate arms 20, having the forked and pivotal ends 2l are in turn pivotally mounted on the vertical trunnions 22 ofthe swivel members 1'? andv are secured thereto by means of the nuts .fr pair ot flat springs 24 may be secured to the pivot plates 5 and (i, by means ot the nut-s 1S, thereby yieldably to maintain the pivoted gate arms 2O in median or neutral positions, as shown in Figures 7 and 9.

By this double pivotal mounting of the gateiarms 20, tile pivot plates 5 and 6, may be lowered int-o the lower or closed position, without positively lowering the gate arm 20, since the same may be deflected with respect to the pivot plates and thus maintained in an upper position. It' the gate is thus closed down upon a vehicle passing beneath it, the gate arm willinotprevent the passageof the vehicle, and will allow the same to clear the gate. Similarly, due to the horizont-al pivotal and yieldable mounting of the gate arms 20, and the yieldable mounting thereof between the two springs 24, a vehicle may encounter the gate arms 2O without serious damage, since the saine will be deflected and spring back into the normal orclosed posi,- tion after tlie vehicle has passed;` This is particularly advantageousyas it eliminates any possibility of the vehicle being caught between the two gates on the two sides ot the track respectively, since it will require but little torce to deflect the gate arms.

Each ot the horizontal main or operating shafts 14, extends transversely across the tracks at a level slightly below the upper surface of the rails, and interconnects the corresponding pinions 13 in the gate posts 1 and 3, and 2 and 4 respectively.

The automatic tripping or actuatingV mechanism shown particularly in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, is composed of a main rack bar 2G. slidably inountedin the two guides f2? and :28 adjacent and parallel to one of the rails 29, shown particularlj." in Figure 2, which is provided with an upper rack 30 and a lower rack 31, near the two ends thereof respectively. Each ot the horizontal main or operating shafts 14, carries a pinion 3Q in ineshwith the racks 30 and 31 respectively, whereby said shafts 14 are both revolved simultaneously and in opposite directions by the displacement of the rack bar Thus uponmoving the rack bar 26 in the direction of the arrow '33, the shafts 14 are revolved so as to lower the gate arms 20, while upon moving the racl: bar 26in the direction of the arrow34, the gate larins) are raised:

ln order automatically to actuate the racli bar Qt in synchronism with the movement of a train, and in'order to actuate said rack har 26 successively in the two directions indicated by thetwo arrows 33 and 34 respectively, thereby to lower andraise the gate arms 20 with the approach and passage ot the train respectively, one or several train operated tripping or actuating devices are provided along the `track adjacent to onev of the rails, and at suitable distances in ad vance of and past the late or crossing.

Thus, assuming a train to travel in the direction of the arrow 33,.two train operated gate actuating devices 36 and 3T are provided in advance of the gates or crossing and two train operated gate actuating devices 38 and '39 are provided past the crossing or gates. Thus, a tripping or actuating device 8G may beplaced about a mile in advance of the gates or crossing', while the second tripa ping or actuating device may be placed three quarters` oit, a mile `in advance. The actuating or resetting dev'ces 38 and 39 may be placed short distances tron'r the gates or crossing, that is, about one fourth and one third of a mile respectively, along the track.

Each et the actuating devices 3G, 37, 38 and 39, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, is, composed or a horizontal actuating rack 40, 41, 42 and 43 respectively, slidablymounted in suitable housings 4.4, 45, 46 and 47 respectively, and` rotatably mounted actuating pinions 48, 49, 50 and 51 respectively, in mesh with the corresponding actuating rack, carried by suitable shatts or studs The shafts or studs 52 carry suitable actuating tripping or setting levers or arins, 54, 55 and 56 respec-` tively.

The actuating racks 40, 41, 42 and 43 and the main rack bar 2G are connected in series by suitable rods `57, 58, 59 and 60, which are suitablyA supported and guided i by spring pressed guide rolls G1, carried in suitable housings 162, atsuitable intervals along the track. Thus a displacement of `any one of the actuating racks 40, 41, 42 and 43, displaces everyother actuating rack, as well as themam rack bar 26. i

Each of the actuating, tripping or setting levers or arms 53, `54, V55 and 56, disposed` directly adjacent to the inner side ot one of.

the rails 29, so as to be inf operative alignnient` with the flanges of the wheel. actuating levers or arms are, moreover, dis- They actuating or tripping lever 53 thus lowered posed in angularly spaced relation to each other, so that the first two actuating levers or arms 53 and 54 are approximately 45 degrees apart as shown in Figure 1, with the arm 53 inclined forwardly at an angle of 45 degrees while the arm 54 is in an upright position, with the gate arms in the open position. Similarly, the arms 55 and 56 are also approximately at an angle of degrees to each other, with the arm 55 inclined downwardly at an angle of 45 degrees, while the arm 56 is in the'horizontal position with the gate arms 20 in the opened position, as indicated in Figure 1,

By this novel actuating system, a train approaching from the right, (Figure 1) in the direction of the arrow 34, first encounters the actuating or tripping lever or arm 53, and deflects it to the horizontal position, that is, about 45 degrees. This movement displaces each of the racks 40, 41, 42 and 43 in the direction of the arrow 33, due to the interengagement of the pinion 48, and also displaces the main rack bar 26 in the direction of the arrow 33. This displacement of the rack bar 2'6 lowers the gate arms 2O to a position of about 45 degrees. With the to the horizontal position, the lever 54 is def flected to a position of 45 degrees, so that when the train encounters the second actuating or tripping lever 54, and moves it to the horizontal position, through a distance of about 45 degrees, a further movement is imparted to each of the racks 40, 4l, 42 and 43, as well as the main rack bar 26, in the direction of the arrow 33, thereby lowering the gate arms 20 to the closed or horizontal position.

Since the pinions and 51, as will be seen from Figure 1, are positioned below the racks 42 and 43 respectively, while the pinions 48 and 49 are above the racks 40 and 41, respectively, the downward movement or` the counter clockwise defiection of the actuating or tripping lever 53 and 54 in the direction of the arrow 63, will raise or deflect the actuating or setting levers 55 and 56, in a clockwise direction indicated by the arrows 64. Thus with the movement of the train of actuating racks 40, 41, 42 and 43 in the direction of the arrow 33, the lever 55 will be raised to a horizontal position, while the lever 56 will be raised to an inclined position of 45 degrees. YWith the second movement of the train of actuating racks, in the direction of the arrow 33, the lever 55 will be raised to an inclined position of 45 degrees, while the lever 56 will be raised to a vertical position.

Thus, as the train has passed the crossing and the gates, it rst encounters the lever 55, in the 45 degree position, deflects the same to a horizontal position andv thus reverses the movement of the train of actuating racks, in the direction of the arrow 34, and thereby raises the gate arms 2O to an angle of about 45 degrees. Upon a further travel of the train it encounters the second lever 56, then in the 45 degree position, and by deflecting the same to the horizontal position imparts a further movement to the train of actuating racks, and thus raises the gate arms 2() to the vertical or full open position.

By the provision of my novel successive series of actuating, setting or tripping devices, both in advance and beyond the gate,

a gradual closing and opening of the gates may be effected. Moreover, by the provision of the resilient spring connection 16, between the lifting racks 12 and the hinged plates 5 and 6, the movement of the system is cushioned.

It will now be apparent that we have devised a new and useful construction -in an automatic gate 'for railway crossings, which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while we have, in the present instance shown and described preferred embodiments thereof, which will give in practice satisfactoryA and reliable results, it is to be understood that such embodiments are susceptible of modilication in various particulars without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described lour invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. In a device of the character stated, a rail, a pivotally mounted gate arm, a lifting rack operatively engaging the same, a main operating shaft extending transversely of said rail, a lifting pinion carried by said main operating shaft in mesh with said lifting rack, a main operating rack, an operating pinion carried by vsaid main operating shaft in mesh with said main operating rack, a train operated gate actuating device, spaced a suitable distance from said gate arm, in advance thereof, comprising an actuating lever positioned adjacent to said rail, an actuating pinion connected to said actuating lever, an actuating rack in mesh with said actuating pinion and connecting means intermediate said actuating rack and said main operating rack.

2. In a device of the character stated, a rail, a pivotally mounted gate arm, an upright lifting rack operatively engaging the same, a main operating shaft extending transversely of said rail, alifting pinion `carried by said main operating shaft in mesh with said lifting rack, a main operating rack extending longitudinally of saidy rail, an operating pini-on carried by said operating shaft, in mesh. with said main operating rack, a pair of corresponding tram operated gate actuating devices, spaced a suitable distance from said gatearln, on either side thereof,each comprising an actuating lever positioned adjacent to said rail, an actuating pinion carried by said actuating lever, a horizontal. actuating rack in lnesh with said actuatingpinion, and connecting means intermediate each of said act-uating racks and the corresponding terminals of said main operating rack.

3. In a device of the character stated, a rail, a pivotally mounted gate arm, a vertical lifting rack operatively engaging the saine, a horizontal inain ope-rating shaft eis tending transversely of therail, a lifting` pinion carried thereby in inesh with said lifting rack, a` ina-in operating.rackJ an ioperating pinion carried by said operating shaft in inesh With said inain rack, a plurality 4of successive train operated gate actuating devices, spaced from said inain rack at suitable distances in advance thereof, each including an actuating rack operatively connected with each other and with said inain rack, actuating pinions in mesh with said actuating' racks, and actuating arins carried by said actuating pinions in successive angular positions with respect to each other, whereby the successive deflections of said actuating `arins will successively deflect the` gateiarinlby suitable increments frein the open to the closed position thereof.

4. In a device of the character stated, a rail, a pivotally mounted gate arin, a lifting rack loperatively enga-ging the same, a horizontal inain operating shaft extending trans-y versely of the rail, a liftingpinion carried thereby in inesh Witlrsaid lifting racli, a inain rack, a pinion carriedby saidoperating shaft in inesh with said inain.f rack, a4

plurality of successive train operated gate actuating devices spaced froin said rack at suitable distances `in advance thereof, each including an actuating arm operatively connected with Veach other and with said niain rack, actuating `pinions in n'iesh With said actuating racks, and `actuating arins `carried by said actuating pinionsyin successive angular positions with .respect to eachother,

whereby the successive deflections of said actuating arms will succesively deflect` the gate arin by suitable increments from. the open to theclosed position thereof, a plurality of successive train operated gate ace tuating` devices spacedv suitable distances froin said niain rack, past the gate, each comprising. an `actuating rack operatively` connected with the; saine and .with each 

